The clock is tik-toking for PBSA providers

The clock is tik-toking for PBSA providers who don’t place social channels at the centre of their marketing    By Suraiya Comunello, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at student accommodation platform Nido Living 

The way students choose their accommodation in 2025 is of marked contrast to ten, even five years ago. Instead of traditional methods of research such as visiting several potential accommodations, and evaluating all options before coming to a decision, the students of today are far more influenced by social media with over one third of students not even visiting their accommodation prior to booking. Having the right digital strategy and journey, therefore, is key.  University is a big step forward in life for students, and the first year of Uni can often be intimidating and lonely at times, therefore PBSA providers need to emphasise the social aspect that they provide, to reassure students that the transition to university is not as daunting as it initially seems. Students look especially at the social elements of accommodation, looking to move into a socially active and welcoming community. In fact, for PBSA students, 'social and events' rank third in the priority list behind 'proximity to university' and 'amenities' according to PBSA digital marketing agency the e-word. 

Other key ‘wants’ researched include modern, comfortable design and safety and security (no doubt ranking highly due to the input of parents post covid). Accommodation providers should look to showcase all of these through social media content and, of course, on their websites.

Given that online reviews are also key influencers outside of social media channels, an integrated strategy which pulls through reviews should also be front-of-mind. 

When it comes to social media itself, Instagram and YouTube are still the preferred channels where students can watch actual footage of current residents - video reviews and testimonials - and make their decision accordingly. 

Facebook also remains within the top three channels used but this is predominantly due to the University or location's specific community groups which are less reliant on rich content. 

Over 20% of PBSA students use TikTok to research accommodation, a figure that is set to soar further as we move from Generation Z to Alpha over the coming cycle. 

As such, harnessing the power of short-form content is key for PBSA providers, as this is proving to be more and more essential to the decision-making process of students looking to move into PBSA. Online chatrooms and reviews have been replaced with TikTok comments sections and Instagram reels of a ‘day in the life’ or a ‘room makeover’ - video forms of content feel more relatable to students. Furthermore, comment sections on TikTok and Instagram encourage  students to connect with each other, taking some of the stress out of making friends at university. But how should PBSA providers go about this in the right way, in order to maximise the potential benefits that online marketing via social media can provide?    One of the major ways to do this is through hashtags. Online ads can feel fake and forced to prospective students, whereas videos from actual students that showcase their lives can give a much more relatable picture of what a university accommodation is like.   PBSA providers could encourage students living in their accommodation to use a personalised hashtag, perhaps of the building or company name, whilst filming a ‘day in the life’ or ‘room tour’ video online, referencing the amenities and benefits of the building. The algorithms of online social media platforms do the rest, dispersing this content onto the online ‘feed’ of students looking for accommodation worldwide. This short, attention-grabbing content appeals to students, and showcases an authentic crucially student-led view of university life in PBSA, helping to attract students who are looking to have an experience alike to the ‘day in the life’ of the video they saw online.   Something as simple as encouraging students to hashtag the company they are using, for instance, #NidoAravacaMadrid on their videos, immediately helps spread this content throughout the feeds of students interested in attending Universities in that city and may be looking for accommodation. Students moving to university seek an idealised lifestyle and are heavily influenced by what they see online, so this is an effective tool to literally show them what they want to see. 

Whilst such student-led short-form content can prove an effective part of the marketing strategy, providers can also look at longer format videos, specifically utilising YouTube to provide virtual room tours and what the accommodation offers in terms of amenities, further building up the image of the student lifestyle online.  At Nido Living, we also use social channels to focus on student wellbeing, running events and classes to help maintain and create a healthy community for students, as well as having held wellbeing sessions on Facebook and Instagram live. 

Students also highlighted that communication from providers whilst they are browsing - either via direct messages through social apps such as Snapchat, Insta or Facebook - and even via online chat and WhatsApp - would be core to their decision making process whilst browsing. With 30% indicated this would help them book, vs only 18 and 19% wanting a phone call or email, it's worth revising strategies accordingly.  Another key aspect for providers to consider is who the real customer is.  In 2025, 70% of parents had a direct say in the accommodation decision-making process. So, for accommodation providers to help modernise and upscale their marketing strategies into online formatting, they should also consider influencing parents; for example, student safety and cleanliness (which whilst also appealing to students) is something which prospective parents or guardians look for when helping their children choose for university accommodation. So, in addition to social channels showcasing events and amenities, factors such as safety and wellbeing should also feature prominently - targeted towards parents. For example, Nido's wellbeing  programme is prominent, reassuring parents that just because their children are away from home, it doesn't mean they don't have on-the-ground support whenever needed.  A word on environmentalism. Whilst students of the past had less focus on sustainability and environmental impact when choosing their accommodation, this is now a factor in the decision-making process with PBSA students ranking it a top requirement in 2025 - third behind events and transport/location as a decision making factor. So, for companies looking to modernise their marketing strategies, it is worth mentioning any ‘green initiatives’ that the accommodation may have (taking care to avoid ‘green washing’). At Nido Living, we emphasise our use of recycled materials, recycling and energy saving initiatives, and partnership with BCorp suppliers.  

Finally, whilst 25% of students look for their accommodation a year in advance, 43% of them start looking just five or six months before they start. It's important to plan all year around for marketingand sales with early releases to maximise bookings, but perhaps social channels should be utilised most in that period of March-June, and again following University offers in order to capture the majority ready to make a decision at this point. 

With the adoption of AI into search engines, it's likely that going forwards, we will see much more generated content pulling through to answer student's typing in - for example - 'which student accommodation should I choose in Leeds' which will pull up a list of PBSA suggestions. 

With this in mind, websites must be updated with the best images, videos and content possible and optimised with SEO to beat the competition and get to the top of that list. 

So for PBSA providers who aren’t already using these channels in this manner or optimising their websites and SEO to support AI, the clock is tik-toking (sorry) because those who are utilising marketing methods that students are actively engaging with will have a competitive advantage.